A Marine from Bergen County was killed last week in combat operations in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced yesterday.

Defense officials say 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca of North Arlington died Friday in the Helmand province. The DOD says that Montes De Oca was serving as a mortar operator. He joined the Marines at the end of 2010 and had just been promoted to Lance Corporal on February 1st.

Montes De Oca was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force that was based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.